In honor of the new trailer for The Avengers, let us take a look at Iron Man’s second big screen outing.

Iron Man 2 endured unnecessary criticism during its time in theaters. Some complained the film felt “rigid” or “unoriginal,” while others hailed the final product as “a lackluster follow-up to a true American gem.”

Yada. Yada. Yada.

Iron Man 2 serves its purpose to a fine degree of excellence. The sequel raises the stakes for Tony Stark, introduces an effective set of villains and bridges the film with the upcoming assembling of The Avengers – a superhero team consisting of such heavy hitters as Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Agent Nick Fury.

Mickey Rourke creates a storm of fury as the vengeful Ivan Vanko, the disgruntled heir to a fallen legacy. Sam Rockwell adds to the villainy as Justin Hammer, Tony Stark’s conniving rival.

Director Jon Favreau deserves a pat on the back for maintaining the same spirit of fun that made the original a blast. Downey Jr. will always deliver as Stark, and Paltrow serves as a brilliant foil for Stark’s antics.

Iron Man 2 deserves your attention for providing a successful sequel to the original film.